Electrical connectors are made in a wide variety of designs and configurations and are used for a wide variety of purposes to connect cable lengths together. One type of electrical connector commonly is called a "tap" connector and is used to make an electrical connection at a given point along or in-line of a through cable or wire. For instance, an electrical tap connector may make an electrical connection between a pair of through wires and a pair of tap wires. The terminations with the wires typically are made by insulation displacement terminals. Electrical tap connectors of this latter type often are called "T-taps".
Still further, there are various applications wherein it is desirable to terminate tap wires in a tap connector at a given time, and, at a later time, connect the tap wires to the through wires. For instance, the connector may be assembled and terminated to the tap wires at a factory or other assembly facility and, at a later time, connect the tap wires to the through wires "on site" of the ultimate usage. One example of such an application is in a mining environment involving explosives. The tap connector may be pre-terminated to short lengths of tap wires at the factory, with the intention that the tap wires ultimately be connected to electronic detonators. This subassembly then is shipped to mines and connected to detonators of explosives at various locations. The miner then terminates the connectors along a length of through wires which lead away from the blasting area, and the remote ends of the through wires are connected to a computer which programs and initiates a blasting sequence.
Another example for using such tap connectors may be in making electrical connections between outside aerial cables to subscriber's premises. Again, the connectors are pre-terminated to short lengths of tap wires at the factory. This subassembly then is shipped for connection on-site to through aerial cables or wires at the aerial location. While this aerial tapping application involves the use of rather flexible and/or softer wires, the mining application described above typically uses stiffer and heavier wire which requires more robust connector components and overall assembly.
The present invention is directed to various improvements in electrical tap connectors of the character described above.